Pakistan cable car mishap: Ordeal ends with all passengers, mostly children, rescued

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 23 (ANI): Pakistani rescuers saved all the passengers, including 7 children and one man, after their cable was stranded high since early Tuesday morning in Allai tehsil of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Battagram, ending an ordeal lasting more than 14 hours, Dawn reported.

On his social media account X (formerly known as Twitter), interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar confirmed the rescue.

“Relieved to know that all the kids have been successfully and safely rescued. Great teamwork by the military, rescue departments, district administration as well as the local people,” he said.

The incident had occurred early in the morning — estimated between 7 am and 8 am — when six students and two locals were on the way to school.

The incident took place after two wires of the cable car snapped early Tuesday morning, the publication said.

Initially, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) estimated that the passengers were stuck at a height of 1,000-2,000ft. But after the rescue operation ended, the ISPR said they were stranded at a height of 600ft, according to the report.

One of the people stuck in the chairlift, Gulfaraz, said seven schoolchildren and another man are stuck mid-air in the chairlift. He added that they are stuck over there since 7 am and two ropes of the chairlift have already been broken, as per ARY News.

“We are still waiting for help,” he added.

The people stuck in the chairlift were identified as Irfan Omraiz, Osama Sharif, Rizwanullah, Attaullah, Niaz Zaib, Sher Nawaz, Gulfraz and Abrar, according to ARY News.

According to Dawn, Assistant Commissioner Jawad Hussain confirmed that the first child was rescued by Pakistan Army personnel, adding that belts had been delivered to the passengers inside the cable car. The first child was rescued with the help of a rope that was hooked onto the belt he was wearing.

According to Radio Pakistan, the army took the assistance of local cable crossings experts for this operation.